The Budget Navigator is an online tool that allows New Yorkers to be their own budget watchdogs. Users can examine New York State or City revenues and expenses to determine levels of funding in recent years, analyze trends, and see how that funding compares between departments and services.

2,268 is the average daily number of people in adult psychiatric centers in New York State, a decrease from a peak of more than 93,000 people in 1955. Stephen Eide, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, discusses the impacts of deinstitutionalization in New York.

90% is the share of NYCHA units CBC estimates may not be cost effective to repair by 2027 under the current trajectory of deterioration. NYCHA Interim Chair and CEO Stan Brezenoff joined CBC to discuss the policy and funding challenges facing NYCHA, and how he plans to tackle key areas in desperate need of improvement.

Since Bloomberg Associates was launched in 2014, participating cities have invested more than $1 billion in initiatives supported or created by the philanthropic consultancy. Former NYC Deputy Mayor and Bloomberg Associates Principal Linda Gibbs joins the podcast to talk about her work using data to effect change in NYC and other cities.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has a plan to close the jails on Rikers Island, in part by reducing the overall city jail population to 5,000 detainees, down from about 8,200 now, which is down from well over 20,000 two decades ago. Liz Glazer, director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, joined the podcast to discuss the closure of Rikers and the administration’s other criminal justice policies.

7.42% is the compounded salary and wage increases for members of DC37, the City’s largest municipal union for civilian workers, under a new contract that sets the pattern for negotiations with other labor unions. NYC Labor Commissioner Bob Linn joins the podcast to discuss this deal, the dynamics of negotiating with the public workforce, and why health insurance is an area long overdue for savings.

$31.8 billion is the amount required to repair NYCHA's public housing units over the next five years. CBC Senior Research Associate Sean Campion discuss the findings and recommendations of CBC's recent report on NYCHA's capital needs and explains how NYCHA got into such a deep hole and and how it can start to dig out.

1,441 is the number of overdose fatalities in New York City in 2017. NYC Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary Bassett discusses Healing NYC, a new program designed to combat the opioid health crisis, as well as neighborhood health clinics, lead testing at NYCHA and more.

$225 billion is the total amount added to reserves and the retiree health benefits trust fund in the recently adopted budget. In contrast, the City added more than $2 billion in new spending, far outpacing what was set aside. NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer joined the podcast to discuss the adequacy of the City's reserves, agency spending, and other issues

2020 is the year of the next Census, a national survey that determines the number of seats each state is allocated in the House of Representatives, and informs policy and funding decisions at all levels of government. Phil Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives, is in charge of coordinating the City's public outreach in the months leading up to the Census. The Deputy Mayor joined the podcast to discuss the importance of Census outreach and the many other initiatives he is spearheading.

1,988 lbs is the average amount of garbage a NYC household throws out each year. City Council Member Antonio Reynoso, Chair of the Council’s Sanitation Committee, joined to discuss the cost of disposing trash, the capture rate of recyclable materials, commercial waste management, and other important issues related to sanitation and the environment.

402 is the projected headcount at the Department of Investigation at the end of FY 2018. Since 2013, the DOI’s budget has grown from $30.6 million to $48.2 million, an increase of 58%. DOI Commissioner Mark Peters discusses the reasons behind this growth and the major investigations he has led.

176,000 is the number of New Yorkers statewide currently enrolled in Health Home, a Medicaid program that coordinates care for individuals with complex health needs. CBC Research Associate Patrick Orecki summarizes the state's experience with the Health Home initiative.

4 is the number of neighborhood rezonings that have been passed under Mayor de Blasio. Sally Goldenberg, Politico's Senior Reporter on real estate and housing, joined Ben and Maria to discuss the rezonings that have passed, those that haven’t, possible future rezonings, and more on housing and real estate.